Eleanor: a requiem

Young Henry Percy is unaware of today’s purpose. In the company of three prolific story tellers, he is intrigued by tales of Templar treasure, of a warrior king, of battle, murder and espionage. The truth is less romantic and, as the stories unfold, one thing is certain. Lady Eleanor is at the heart of everything.

When Eleanor’s requiem is interrupted by the Inquisition, Henry realises there is more to his grandmother than he has been told. What is the secret that she kept from a king, and what did her grandfather know about the Cathars? Who are the four men in black taking an unhealthy interest in their affairs and what does a former Templar knight know about the identity of the man in his custody? Above all, how does a toymaker’s chess piece connect all of these mysteries?

As Henry probes his companions for answers, none is straightforward. Can he solve the clues and sift the truth from falsehoods? Will he ever understand Geoffrey’s relationship with his grandmother, and will Geoffrey succeed in his quest for his own peace?